1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of carports, particularly a foldable carport that can be attached to any inhabitable structure including, but not limited to mobile residences, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, travel trailers, and residential homes.
2. Description of Related Art
Carports are often constructed along side a home in lieu of a garage. Mobile residences such as mobile homes, recreational vehicles, travel trailers or any other mobile or temporary residence or office also incorporate carports in many various circumstances. Although carports are associated with many inhabitable structures, particular shortcomings become evident when erecting a carport proximate a mobile home. Mobile homes are relatively inexpensive residences and allow an affordable way to live. Mobile homes or trailers may also be used by construction project managers on the job site to function as the on-site office from which the construction of a building, road, or other project is managed. Recreational vehicles and travel trailers provide many of the same features as mobile homes, but can also be more easily taken from one site to another and used the remainder of the year.
When mobile residences are intended to be substantially stationary for a longer period of time, users, particularly in warm and sunny climates, desire a carport erected adjacent to the mobile residence to provide a covered area to park a car so that the car is stored out of the damaging effects of the sun. Further, because the sun may be very intense, keeping the car out of direct sunlight prevents the seats and interior of the car from becoming uncomfortably hot which then typically requires cooling the interior turning on the car and running an air conditioner prior to using the car. A carport may also provide an additional covered outdoor living space which can be used in virtually all weather conditions. This feature is desired for many mobile home residents because it increases the functional living space of the mobile residence, even when it is raining.
All current mobile residence carports are permanently installed at the mobile home site. Thus, when a seasonal resident closes up the mobile residence to return north for the spring, summer and/or fall, current carports remain erected and subject to all of the weather events which may occur in the owner's absence. A permanently installed carport may be damaged during the nine months of the year that the owner is not occupying the home and the owner is unable to maintain or fix the carport during this time. Further, while the owner is away from the mobile residence, the mobile residence is unoccupied and vulnerable to break-in by others who know that the mobile residence is vacant for the spring, summer, and/or fall. In addition, a permanently installed carport is also not ideal to be combined with a mobile residence because once the carport is installed, it is permanent and, therefore, if an owner wants to move the mobile residence for any reason, the carport is often abandoned or left at the old location.
There are no currently known carports that can be semi-permanently erected, but easily folded down so that the mobile residence can be moved over-the-road while the carport remains connected thereto or folded down during extended periods of vacancy. Further, there are no carports on the market which provide the carport to be hinged into a more secure position that (1) secures an entrance to the mobile home during the periods it is unoccupied, or (2) protects one or more exterior walls of the mobile home during storm events.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a carport for any inhabitable structure, but commonly for a mobile residence wherein the carport can be semi-permanently erected, but also easily folded down so that the mobile residence can be moved over-the-road while the carport remains connected thereto. Further, there is also a need in the art for a folding carport to be attached to a mobile residence with a hinged connector that can be erected on site and then can be folded using a hinged assembly into a more secure position that (1) secures an entrance to the mobile home during the periods it is unoccupied, and (2) protects one or more exterior walls of the mobile home during storm events.